all bad things must come to an end
by A Band Of Thieves
Summary: "Her reign was ephemeral." Though short lived, it was something to forget. People cheered when she was picked for the Games. -Birthday fic for VividlyVisceral.


**Written for Caesar's Palace Prompt for the Siv Challenge: Ephemeral. Also a birthday fic for VividlyVisceral. :D I know there are some spacing issues, but fanficiont is being weird and won't let me put them in. . . **

**_e·phem·er·al- lasting for a very short time_**

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><p>She wears her crown on her head like it's her life. She pats down that fruity little dress. Her twinkling glassy blue eyes, just a trap for what lies behind, and if you look close enough you can see the sinister and ominous look she's so good at hiding.<p>

She's the queen of District One.

All of you her subjects.

Once she drags you into her sick and twisted kingdom, you'll never leave.

Good luck. . .

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><p>"Gre-er!" her high pitched, squeaky little voice shrieks. "Get me some hot chocolate!"<p>

"No, get your own, you whiny little brat." Her sister sits on the bed opposite her, sneering, tired of her sister's antics.

"But I'm sick! Mummy says I have to stay home from school!" she pouts.  
>Her sister walks over to her bed, 19 now, six years older than her younger sister. "You really expect me to believe that bullshit?" A knowing smile crosses her face, but her sister's face turns hard and serious.<p>

She flicks out a lighter from under her pillow, and holds the flame close to Greer's face. She waves the light, back and fort, back and forth, close enough to her face that she's beginning to feel the heat disperse onto her.

"Get me one now?" Jezebel questions evilly, staring at the flame.

"You wouldn't dare." Greer gives a small laugh and pushes her sister away. Jezebel's hand snaps right in place again, hanging over Greer's face for the second time. "Wouldn't I?"

"Stop messing around with that lighter, Jez. Get your own fucking hot chocolate."

Later, Jezebel sat with Greer in the car on the way to the infirmary for the burn on her nose, claiming "Greer, you know not to mess around with lighters!"

That's when her manipulative, but short lasting reign began.

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><p>"Slut."<p>

"Scumbag."

"Manipulative little bitch."

Jezebel ignored the mutters from people in District One as she skipped along the streets to the reaping, trying to act like an innocent little girl when she was really an demonic fourteen year old.

She reached the square and went to her age group, the constant glares from other children from the District piercing through her. She, of course, ignored them all.

Their mayor came to the stage, proud and narcissistic, for he thought himself above everyone in the district. He was a fat man with a balding head and fancy clothes. He gave his yearly speech and then the escort came out, her haired dyed a subtle shade of pink, wearing a paisley blouse and a stiff white coat. She tripped up the stairs a bit in her heels, and patted down her skirt as she approached the podium.

"Good morning all! Welcome to the reaping of District One for the 45th Hunger Games!" her squeaky voice boomed through the mic. "Let's get started, shall we?"

She approached the female ball filled with names and drew one out. "Jezebel Maswana!"

The square was filled with a eerie silence, the joy on peoples faces monstrous yet it was somehow something good, because, well, no one liked Jezebel. No one at all. Not a soul dared volunteer. So Jezebel walked to the stage with a smile plastered on her face, eager to leave behind those who loathed her.

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><p>"You're real stupid, you know that, right?" The District Four girl said to Jezebel before turning around to speak to her fellow partner from Four privately. Jezebel slyly slipped some salt into her orange juice. The girl turned back around and pushed the drink away. "You're not fooling anyone."<p>

"Whatever do you mean?" Jezebel asked, trying to be as sweet and kind as she could.

"People don't want to sponsor the innocent little bloodbath girl. They want to sponsor people like me, who they can count on to win." The girl smirked.  
>Jezebel frowned, frustrated. She was right, after all. No one would want to sponsor her. She seemed too fragile, like a butterfly in a garden, perched on the leave, before a creeping gardener comes up and entraps the butterfly in a cage. Like she could break down at any moment.<p>

During training that day, she thought more about what the girl had said, and decided to change her strategy from sweet and innocent to manipulative and merciless. She still had one more shot to prove this to the country during her interview.

For the rest of training she practiced her spear throwing skills, grunting and hurling spears at the targets. It took a bit of self-control not to chuck one at that "all-knowing" District Four girl.

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><p>Jezebel spun around in front of the mirror, smiling at the "Oohs" and "Ahs" of her prep team. Her costume was perfect. She had told her stylist her new strategy and that she "had better make it damn obvious that I'm not a sweet little girl anymore." So there she stood, wearing a dusty, raggedy looking white dress with few holes in it and dirt all over it, bloodstains covering the garment. Her hair was messy and dirty, and she had rubbed some dark makeup on her face, and it was all perfect.<p>

She was first up, being the girl from District One. She walked to the chair next to the host, Amandla Esten. Amandla wore a tight blue and red dress, with sparkling silver shoes.

Amandla's face made an "O" shape when she saw Jezebel's outfit choice. Jezebel just smiled and sat down.

Amandla cleared her throat and began. "That's a pretty. . . interesting choice of clothing you've picked out there, isn't it Jezebel?"

"I wanted to show everyone out there in the Capitol that this is what I will look like in the arena, the dirt from battles, the blood from my victims, so no one should give a second thought about running when they see me in the arena." Jezebel retorted.

Her arrogance was annoying to those in the Districts, especially District One, but in the Capitol it showed a true Victor, ready for the fight. And she was very ready for a fight.

The audience clapped and cheered at her response, and she tilted her head and smiled at them.

She couldn't wait for the Games to begin.

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><p>The gong rang out and tributes were flying everywhere. Jezebel ran and grouped the Careers who had decided to join together. "Listen up, before we start slaughtering, I'm in charge, and that's final." Before anyone could reply she ran off, grabbed an axe, and then they all heard the screams of a girl. . .<p>

They all split up, running about with weapons, making as much blood flow as possible. At the end, they heard six canons fire, much lower than the usual amount. Jezebel sighed, "What the hell, guys! Six people? Six? You're all a disgrace to your Districts."

"Listen bitch. Shut the hell up, for one, and stop trying to be the leader. You are not. Okay?" the District Four girl yelled.  
>"You wanna go, bitch?" Jezebel challenged.<p>

The District Four girl drew her sword in reply, and the rest of the Careers drew their weapons as well. Jezebel knew it was over, but she couldn't back down now. She sliced and poked and prodded her weapons at them, but to no avail.

Her last words shone out, another remind of how much better she thought she was than everyone. But everyone was glad to see her go.

"I was too _good_ for this world anyways."

The rule of Jezebel came to an end, and her kingdom shattered, and the people rejoiced, for she was no more.

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><p><strong>Happy birthday Vivid! I'm sorry it's late XP, fanfiction wouldn't let me write for like, 3 days, and I couldn't get it done, and. .. yeah. I know it was the 28th, so happy belated birthday, and I hope you liked the fic~!<strong>

**Much love, **

**Fiona**

**Thank you Into(St. Elsewhere) for betaing this. **


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